Airbus confirms CEO under investigation over Austria arms deal

PARIS (Reuters) - Europe's Airbus (AIR.PA) confirmed on Wednesday its chief executive, Tom Enders, had been placed under investigation by Vienna prosecutors in connection with a fighter purchase in 2003 and called the accusations "completely unsubstantiated".

Reuters reported earlier that a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office had confirmed that correspondence seen by the news agency, which listed Enders as one of those accused in a recently opened fraud investigation, was correct.

"Upon our inquiry after initial media reports, the Vienna Prosecutor this afternoon informed us for the first time that all individuals which have been listed in a register by the Austrian Finanzprokuratur (Austria's legal adviser) are under investigation," an Airbus spokesman said by email.

"This list of individuals includes Tom Enders. As we have repeatedly stated, we consider the accusations as completely unsubstantiated."